Braised Lobsters with XO Sauce and Tomatoes

龍蝦 XO醬炆蕃茄

Local green lobsters are my all time favorite. The meat is sweet, firm abd stays juicy when cooked just right. They are best at about 1.5 pounds each, easy to cook and handle. This braised lobsters with XO sauce and tomatoes recipe brings out the exquisite flavors of the lobsters with out over powering it. This is my own recipe, created for my family and friends.

XO sauce is a unique spicy sauce from Hong Kong that is made with dried seafood and ham. It usually contains 9 or more ingredients Its unique and tasty flavor is prized in Catonese cuisine.

The secret to this recipe is the homemade XO sauce that my husband made. Unlike store bought sauce,  he uses premium ingredients such as Japanese dried scallops and high quality dried shrimp that brings out the most intense umami. The flavour its intense but not overpowering. If you don’t have homemade sauce, just use whatever one you can get your hands on.  You can always jazz it up this  by adding 1 rehydrated dried scallops when cooking.

Ingredients

2 medium size live lobsters at about 1.5 pounds each.

1 1/2 cup of flour
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Oil for shallow frying

2 large onion, sliced
4 large size tomatoes, cut
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
3 to 4 tablespoons of homemade XO sauce

1 1/2 cup of chicken broth with 2 teaspoons of corn starch

1 cup of fresh Korean sliced rice cake
2 teaspoons of fish sauce. 2 teaspoons of sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup of spring onion or cilantro for garnish (optional )

Cooking Method

1.  Clean lobsters well. Dry lightly and cut them in half, down the middle. Then cut the half into half again. Four pieces per lobster.  Set aside.

2. Mix flour, salt and pepper together on a large plate.

3. In a pan, heat enough cooking oil for shallow frying.

4. Coat each piece of the lobster in the flour mixture then place it directly into the pan to be shallow fried for about 3 to 4 minutes each side. The lobster should be semi cooked and golden in color.

5. Remove lobster from the pan when done and set aside on a plate.

6.  In a large wok over medium high heat, add in some cooking oil.

7. Add sliced onion to wok and stir fry over medium heat until soft and sweet.  Add in garlic.

8.  Add XO sauce and Tomatoes to the wok.  Mix corn starch in the chicken broth. Stir until smooth. Add to wok. Add fish sauce and sugar to taste. Fry for a few minutes. 

9. Add lobster to the wok. Braise lobster with tomatoes mixture for 5 to 8 minutes with lid off. Stirring and flipping lobster occasionally.

10.  Add rice cake and cook until soft. (Usually a few minutes)

11. Add salt and pepper to taste.

12. Serve in a large serving bowl or wok. Garnish with spring onion.

If you love seafood, try my Fiery Pepper Crabs 黑胡椒蟹

Try Easy Cantonese Pan Fried Pork Patties with Shrimp Paste

Cooking Tips

• Adjust cooking time to make sure lobsters are fully cooked.
• This recipe can be doubled. Just make sure cooking container is large enough to hold all ingredients.

Perfect paired with Soothing Chinese Apple Soup